The Silver Box
by misselenasalvatore011
Summary: I opened the box to find the note, along with a few other things Stefan had given me, all hidden away...   S/E fantasy for Season 3... Romance, but alot of Angst... REVIEW!


A/N: Ive been feeling the hiatus washing over me like a ton of bricks lately, so I decided to do a one shot! I know a lot of my readers that were so loyal to HWISWY and Forever After want a third part to the story, and I promise as soon as the show starts again, I will try my hardest to make it happen, but updating will rely solely on my schedule. Anyways, here is a little one shot to tie you over for a bit! Enjoy!

I feel it creeping inside of me. It's taking over my body, my soul, and my spirit. A black curtain of depression that wraps itself around my heart, making it hard to breathe.

It's the day Stefan has been talking about since last year. The day he promised to make special, to give me the best day I can remember. That's all gone. My joy disappeared with my smile, which all left about three months ago.

Stefan. I hear his name ringing in my ears constantly. I can feel his hands in mine as I'm walking in the grocery store, or down the street to the Grill. I want to embrace the ghost image of him sleeping next to me every night, haunting my dreams, and making them better at the same time.

I lose track of time. It seems like the days drag on for weeks, and the months go on for years. I know that my life right now is supposed to be perfect, but the last time it was perfect was too far back, I cannot even remember. I don't think it has ever been perfect without my parents here. With me, and Jeremy, and Jenna, and Stefan.

Stefan. I must whisper that name to myself a thousand times a day, yet I haven't been able to say it out loud since I last saw him. The last time I told him I loved him. a scene in my head I have replayed over and over, trying to analyze it instead of trying to cherish it.

"Don't worry Elena, everything is going to be alright" He said, soothing me calmly. It was a few days after Jenna had been killed, and Stefan was laying with me in bed, trying to ease my pain. I always slept better with his muscular side against mine, feeling the warmth of having someone there. I felt my face grow hot but wet with tears that have escaped my eyes frequently in the past seventy- two hours.

"Stefan, now I have no one. Why do I have to lose E-E-Everything" I stuttered, tripping on my slurred words, trying to piece together a sentence. He was resting his hand on my leg, his other wrapped tight around me, not letting me go.

"I'm still here. And I will be forever. Don't ever forget that Elena, that you will always have me, no matter what" He spoke comfortingly, stroking my hair, making my eyes begin to flutter shut. I knew I would be asleep in a matter of minutes, feeling the inviting sense taking over my body. I felt a kiss on top of my head, and smiled and looked up at Stefan who was gazing at me quietly.

"Stefan, thank you for everything. I don't know what Jeremy and I would do without you" I thanked, trying to make it seem as positive as possible. He smiled, and nodded, indicating that he wanted me to sleep. He hugged me tighter, and let me doze off.

"I love you Elena" He said just as I was falling asleep. I mustered up enough energy to say it back, not knowing it could have been the last time I could ever say it to him.

I awoke the next morning with sun beaming in through my half shut blinds. I opened my eyes to find my bed empty. I sat immediately upright, searching around my room for him. I grasped my pillow to find a note on top, addressed to me in his perfect script.

"Good morning my love. I know I never leave you in the morning, but this was urgent. I will explain as soon as I can, but I want you to know how much I love you. Every little thing about you is magical to me. The way you wrinkle your nose when you're sad, how you only take ten minutes to get ready in the morning, but take twenty at night, the way you drink your coffee sip by sip, and the way you are so accepting to everything about me. I know this sounds rushed, which it is, but I needed you to know this: I plan on coming back for you. I know that right now, you are confused, and probably hurt by my hastyness, but know that I am not only fully ready to win you back one hundred percent, but I am completely, undeniabley, desperately in love with you, and I'm not ready to let you go. I want you in my life for the rest of eternity. You are the only one I think about, and you will be the only one I think about the entire time I'm gone. Do your best to keep yourself safe. I know you and I know what you are going through, but remember to fight, just like what you told me to do. I will be fighting for you, so promise to fight for me. I love you with every ounce of love in my body, Stefan."

I read, and reread that letter twenty times, and every time it hurt more. Not knowing where he is, or what he is doing, and seeing his love scrawled on a piece of paper tore me to shreds. For two weeks, I did not come out of my room, just crying myself to sleep on some nights, and staying awake from insomnia others. I let Jeremy in, and that's it, only because I know that having me like this is killing him more than his initial depression from the loss of Jenna. I didn't talk about it and I still don't. the note is tucked away in my nightstand, in a box I will not open.

It's three months later, and I'm trying to fall asleep. Again, the insomnia is upon me, and this time, there is no way to fight it. My body is starting to shake and tremble from the tears I have been stifling for hours. Damon left at dinner, after bringing me chicken parmesean from the local Italian place in the town square, yet I didn't touch it. The memories of Stefan standing in my chicken, making the same dish for me just a few months ago is too fresh. While hugging me goodbye, he whispered in my ear, "Read the letter".

I open the nightstand slowly, and take out the silver box that was given to me by my mom when I was little. It was long yet narrow, and was shiny enough to see my reflection. My swollen from crying, red eyes, staring back at me. I turned away, and took a deep breath, and opened the box I swore I would never look at again. Inside was the note, along with the few other things Stefan gave me. The vervain necklace remained around my neck, keeping my promise to Stefan. To keep myself safe. I fingered the note, feeling the impressions of a pen on the back side. I took another deep breath, and opened the note, rereading it again, more calm this time. I noticed his writing, rushed but still impeccable. Each word was in perfect unison with the others. After reading it three times more, I began to realize that a few of the letters were bolded while the others were not. It happened to many of the words, and it clearly was not just a coincidence. Feeling hopeful, I ripped out a page from my diary, and began to write down the letters that were bolded onto the page. After taking each of the letters, and putting them together, a message was decoded. I felt my face go white with fear when I read it.

"Klaus has me. Had to go with him to pay for Damon's cure. Send D as soon as you figure this out. Don't come, too dangerous. At Klaus' manor. XOXO S."

I felt my fingers tremble. I hurriedly picked up the phone and dialed Damon for what seems like the first time since Stefan left. The line picked up after one ring, and he answered quickly.

"What's wrong?" He asked, knowing I would only call in an emergency.

"I-I-I found a hidden message in the note Stefan wrote me. Get a pen to write it down" I replied hurriedly.

He said Okay, and I repeated the message for him twice to make sure he got it right.

"I'm leaving tonight. I'll be over in fifteen minutes." He said, and the line went dead. I hung up the phone, and paced around my room for what seemed like an hour. Damon appeared in my room behind me, not even frightening me because I was too absorbed in the what could be.

"I'm taking a flight in thirty minutes to England. Listen to me Elena, I need you to stay here. From what I can tell, Klaus has Stefan, who is not stable. I will call as soon as I figure out what is going on, but Elena, you NEED to stay here. I know it is not your forte for staying calm in crisis, but right now, it could be the decipher for how well this trip goes. Keep yourself safe, and call me if anything goes wrong. I'll let you know when I land" He spoke in a flurry. I shook my head in disagreement, but I let him go, leaving me here alone.

I get a phone call late that night from Damon, letting me know he has landed and that he is going right now to Klaus. He said he has a plan, but knowing Damon, he will be winging it every step of the way. I slept, knowing it would make the time go by faster.

I slept for two weeks, getting up for an hour, and then going back to sleep for fourteen. I never got another call from Damon, which insured to me that he was either unsafe, or was taken by Klaus as well. Jeremy decided that it was easier to live with Alaric than here with me, which I understand. I let Caroline or Bonnie in a few times a day to help me out of bed to eat and shower, but the entire time I say nothing. My body just cannot handle this form of depression.

I'm asleep again, dreaming about the first time Stefan and I kissed when I was awaken by the feeling of warmth on my neck. I open my eyes nervously, and find him kneeling beside my bed, inches away from my face. I can't decide if it is my mind mistaking me, or if it truly is him. He locks eyes with me, and a tear drips down his face, onto the bed. I look at him and put my hand out to touch his face, that is coated in a layer of dirt. I feel his warm skin under my fingers, and I know it is him, because in my dreams, he is always cold. I wrap my arms around his neck, and begin to sob, feeling my body sink into his.

"Elena" He said, as if it was the first time he has ever spoke my name.

"St-St-Stefan, I thought you were g-g-gone" I said through the tears that were falling down my face. He shook his head, and held me tighter, clutching my hair, not able to speak.

"I came back for you" He said, whispering into my ear. I lifted my head up, and threw my body onto his, feeling my lips finally meet his, after all this time. We kissed through the tears, and did not let go of eachother the rest of the night. He told me of what happened to him, and why it took so long for him to come back. He had to fight his addiction before he came home. His addiction to the blood, that scared him to death. We stayed wrapped around eachother for days, telling our stories, catching up for the time we had lost. It was about five nights later, when we finally went to his house, when we were in his bed, lying there in the dark, when he told me the one thing I needed to hear. The whole time.

"I never left you. You never left my mind, not once. My emotions were never turned off, because I feared of losing you. But, I know that I will never lose you. Because, you are my strength." He said, laying there beside me, with nothing touching but our interwoven hands. I smiled, and slept soundly that night, knowing that I would wake up to him next to me in the morning.

A/N: if you liked it, please review! If not, please review!


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